This view of George Street highlights the degree of damage visited on the town by the cyclone. This building is still standing on the corner of Forbes and George Streets.
The photos on this page show that rural communities have always had to battle with Mother Nature. On August 27, 1912, a cyclone ripped through the town of Grenfell causing untold damage to houses and businesses. Sheets of tin and other materials were ripped off buildings as if they were no tougher than tissue paper and tossed in to the surrounding streets and paddocks. No reports are available from the time as to whether there were any deaths or injury among the population as a result of the damage.
Just by looking at the amount of devastation however, it is apparent that it would have taken some time for the town to recover. These photos were all postcards that were produced in the old Grenfell photographic studios of S. Proctor & Son, who were situated in Main Street. The photos were lent to the Record courtesy of Keith Starr from his private collection.
If any local historians have any detailed information about the cyclone please feel free to contact the Record as we have plenty more of these photos still on file to use in the future.